Children Soldiers
by N.V.9
Summary: He was a flaw meant to die by my hand but as I went to end it he opened his eyes and said hello.
1. Chapter 1

**1**

**Look toward profile/bio for disclaimer and anything else involving this story.**

012607 followed the line. He neither looked left nor right. He did not stumble or speak. He was in perfect order as everyone else. Every person male and female moved as one. When one took a step with their right foot, so did the others.

Each was identical as the last. They all wore white. From head to toe. Their hair covered by a white wrap with their individual numbers above and below the wrap. Engraved into their foreheads. Beyond that number, and their faces, they were the same. A child part of a whole. A whole made into one. One made into an army.

The line of ten moved passed opened doorways, where others like themselves trained, ate, slept, meditated, or stood. They passed other lines of ten going the other way. Yet none of them acknowledged each other. There was no smiles or glares. No joking or squealing. There was just the silence of the atmosphere. Not even their footsteps where heard echoing through the silent hallway.

These children had no name, only a number, and his was number 012607. Not that anyone else called him that. Only the doctors spoke. The numbers were only allowed to speak when they were learning.

Behind 012607 was a female. What she looked liked, he did not know. He only knew she was female. In front of 012607 was a male. What he looked like, he did not care. He wasn't trained to care what his fellow numbers looked like. He'd remember them if told and only when he was told. He was trained... he wasn't sure what he was trained for, just that he had to be the best.

All that he knew was that he was different. He did not feel like the other numbers. On the outside he behaved like them but he wasn't them. He questioned things within himself. He wondered what was it that made them like they were. He wanted to know why they did what they did. He wanted to know where they came from. He had so many questions but no answers.

He worked hard to keep the blank expression on his face. He had to show he was like the rest. He knew that if he were to let his curiosty free he would be taken away like the others. The others that failed to pass the exams or the mold they were given.

But what happened to the others? Where did they go and why didn't they come back? None of the numbers seemed to care that they lost a fellow number or if they gained one. To them it was nothing. Everything was nothing. They were machines with human bodies.

When his line stopped, 012607 stopped with them. His body so in tuned with the others that he didn't have to think about it.

A doctor came out of the closed door. "Turn." He commanded and like one, the ten numbers turned right and faced him. Their movements making no noise. Going to the beginning of the line, the doctor scanned his eyes over them, making little notes on his clip board. He stopped at the first one and forced his head back. Turning it left then right. With a nod he moved to the next one. This one he checked her hands. Another nod and on and on it went. Finally he was stood in front of 012607. With narrowed eyes he stared into 012607's eyes. "Take this one to room 6." he commanded before turning back to his office. He didn't even move to the last number.

At once two other doctors motioned him forward. The others, they commanded to turn and move on. When the line disappeared, the doctors commanded him to follow and without question he did. He felt fear run down his spine but he didn't know why, the feeling itself was very foreign to him.

It seemed like they walked the whole perimeter of the building before coming to a metal door. 012607 never saw this door before. He wondered what was behind it. Watching one of the doctors open the door, he failed to noticed the needle pricking his skin. Without warning, he felt his body fall. The impact of the ground never coming as all went black.

C~ ^ ~S

"What do you think is wrong with this one?" the first doctor asked, picking up the small child. He looked like any other child in the world. The only difference was that he was an eight year old locked away since birth, trained to become the ultimate soldier. By fifteen the children were sent to war. None fighting this because to them it was natural. They were trained in all arts of combat. They were the shadows no one saw. Going in and out before their target realized they were dead.

All of them knew over fifteen different languages before they were twelve and all of them would die as a soldier that followed orders to a T. Anything that was deemed useful was taught to these young children. Anything that could make them better was imprinted into their developing minds. Anything that wasn't meant to be, got them killed.

It was sad, but with little options, it was the best solution available to them and their country. These young children were all orphans with no chance of surviving or so they were told. They were fighting for a greater good.

"I don't know and I don't care. Doctor Orchimaru said to take him to room 6 and that is what I'm doing. Can you finish this or do you need help, Kabuto?" The other doctor sneered.

"Leave." Kabuto glared, holding the child in his arms and walking through the door. "Bastard." he said loud enough for the other to hear.

"Fuck you." the other doctor growled slamming the door.

Smirking, Kabuto moved to an empty table with straps. Placing the small boy gently on the table, he sighed and ran his hand over the child's covered head. "Why are you going to die? What thing did you do wrong?" Moving over to the computer he pulled up the child's charts.

He was proficent in combat. He spoke seven languages fluently, was in the process of learning four more. He was high in his group training durning climate changes. He was the best at almost everything he did. His speed was above average, his stealth was amazing, his agility was high... the boy was already a perfect solider for his age, every portion of his body was in the higher percentage. He was at a level that so few could reach at this age. "So why are you dying today?"

With a frown, Kabuto looked over his shoulder at the sleeping child. He looked so innocent and defensless, but that was all for show. Kabuto knew that the boy could and would kill him, if ordered. The boy had no morals, no emotions, no life outside of training and learning.

Walking back to the boy, he tried to find the answer to the riddle. When none came, he shook his head and began to strap the boy down. It took five minutes to make sure every one of the straps was tight enough to hold him when he struck him with the needle. Once the liquid was poured into their bodies, they would scream and try to crawl free. The only time they went against their training. There was one strap on each of his ankles, one strap holding each of his wrist. One strap going over his waist another over his chest. The last would go around his head. To put that one on, he had to remove the wrap or it wouldn't hold. "Blonde hair." He said feeling the silky texture, watching as it rained through his fingers. Had anyone ever ran a hand like this through this boy's hair? Had anyone tried to soothe him? Don't think like that, Kabuto, he told himself, he's just like the other children. Don't make them human. Deciding to leave the stap off, it was more for show anyway, Kabuto sighed, trying to shake the ache that was building within him. One would think this would make him inhuman, but each death through his fingers was as painful as the first.

Moving to the counter near by, he began to mix the liquid that would end the boy's life. Then his body would burn in the fire. His existance erased like it never was. His number would be deleted and given to someone else some years from now. The next child unknown to the first that carried his number. Just like this boy knew nothing of the one before him, or the one before that one.

Flicking the needle with his finger, he held it up to the light. He wanted the boy's death to be as painless as possible. If mixed right, he wouldn't feel the pain they normally would when the other doctor gave them the shot. It would still hurt but not as bad.

Turning to the boy he stretched a part of skin on his right arm.

"Hello," at the sound of the young voice, the doctor stopped and looked toward the blue eyes watching him.

"Hello," he whispered back in surprise, unsure of what to do. Never had a child talked to him, or looked at him with such innocent blue eyes.

"Am I going to disappear?" the boy asked.

"What?" How was this possible? The child shouldn't-that was why he was going to die! He wasn't just another puppet! He was a boy now, not the computer they desired!

"Am I going to disappear like all the other numbers?"

"Numbers?"

"The others like me. They are pulled out of line and disappear. They never come back. The others do not notice but I do. Where do they go?"

"You remember them?"

"Yes. All of them. They all disappear and never come back." He said again, turning to look at the light above. "I always wondered where they went. Will I go there to?" He asked turning to look at him. "Will I like it there?"

Kabuto blinked as his eyes automatically turned to look at the fire burning behind a metal door. "Uh..." he trailed off unsure of what to say.

"What is your name?" the boy asked.

"Kabuto," he answered. How could he kill him? He couldn't kill a child. The others he could because they didn't talk to him. They didn't look at him with a childs curiosity. He could pretend they weren't children!

"Kabuto." The boy blinked before smiling. "If I had a name, I would want it to be as nice as yours."

"Thank you." Kabuto said blinking back the tears. Oh god he couldn't do this!

"When will I disappear?"

Kabuto took a step back and looked down at his shaking hands. With a gasp he threw the needle to the floor and kept walking back until he bumped into another counter.

His eyes never leaving the child's innocent blue ones. The blue eyes that looked on in confusion, another emotion he shouldn't have. With a shuddering breath, Kabuto slid down to the floor and held his knees close to his chest.

"Are you alright?" the boy asked.

Kabuto put his fist to his mouth to hold back the odd noises coming out. He couldn't kill this boy. He was only eight, an eight year old that was no longer needed by Orochimaru.

"Do you need a doctor? The doctors help the numbers that hurt themselves. Did you hurt yourself?"

Numbers? Oh yes, the other children in the compound created by the government. "No." Kabuto said, standing and moving quickly to the boy. He didn't know what he was doing but he had to save the boy. Removing every strap on the boy, he picked him up. He was so small, smaller then most boys his age.

The boy said nothing as Kabuto moved to the closet holding his belongings. Grabbing his jacket, he wrapped it around the child. "Don't make a noise." Kabuto commanded. With a nod the child placed his head against Kabuto's shoulder.

Opening the door they entered, he looked left then right. Seeing nothing he ran right. It seemed like a life time before they got to the exit. Kabuto prayed that this would be one of the few times the guard would be asleep. Creeping forward he let go of the breath he was holding at the snoring man. Pulling his key card free, he swiped it through the slot and waited for it to open.

Once outside, he ran to his car. Gently he placed the child in the backseat and got behind the wheel. "Stay down and don't move." He ordered once they got close to the gate. With a forced smile and a wave he passed. Did they suspect anything? Looking into his rearview mirror he laughed as the pressure on his chest let go slightly.

Now he only had an hour or two before they realized something was wrong. Speeding all the way to his house he told the child to stay in the car. Once inside he rushed to his room and began packing his suitcase, tossing in random pieces of clothing and things he knew they would be needing. Going to safe behind the swinging bookcase he pulled out wads of money and documents. Once done he ran to the kitchen and, using two paper bag, began to throw anything that would not rot right away in. Grabbing everything together he ran to the car, putting everything into the trunk besides one of his smallest t-shirts and a blanket, which he gave to the boy, he took off. Where he would go, he didn't know, he just knew that once they figured out what he did, he was going to be hunted down by the numbers, as the child called them, that he helped create and destroy.

C~ ^ ~S

"Sir he's gone." a child soldier spoke coming out of Kabuto's house. Orochimaru stood beside his car as two other children soldiers came out.

"Destroy his house. Find him and kill him. Bring back the defected soldier." he ordered before getting back into his car and driving away. Behind him, Kabuto's house went up in flames. "Stupid boy thinking you could fool me." Orochimaru smirked. "How wrong you were child, how wrong indeed."


	2. Chapter 2

**2**

**Look toward profile/bio for disclaimer and anything else involving this story.**

Kabuto sat in the silence of their hotel room as the little boy slept on the other bed. It had already been a week since he had left his home and life. And in that week, Kabuto was finally learning what it was they had done to the children. What it was they had created.

The little boy wasn't a normal child. The only thing he had in contact with normal children was the curiosity of everything, but even that was small compared to others.

During their week together, Kabuto learned the little boy never yelled or spoke above a loud whisper. He didn't cry or ask for food. He never asked for water or to use the bathroom. He didn't fidget or sleep. He sat there, looking out the window waiting for Kabuto to give him a command.

Kabuto knew this is how he was trained to be. An object in the room waiting for it's next order.

He knew the child wanted to speak, well Kabuto believed he did anyway. After all, he never opened his mouth. He was almost like a doll, but still, what child didn't wish to speak? Even for a child solider who felt emotion... Surely he wished to voice his opinion?

Once in a while, the boy would ask a simple question out of no where. When Kabuto would answer to the best of his abilities, the boy would nod and say no more.

"What have I done?" Kabuto whispered hiding his face in his hands.

The first day on the road, Kabuto had tried speaking to the boy but no matter what he asked he always got a simple answer. It was like speaking to an adult, no a computer. He would only answer what was asked of him but would say no more. When they had stopped at a burgerstand, Kabuto had ask the boy if he was hungry, he only got a blank stare -the same happened for everything else he asked the boy if needed or wanted.

"Hungry?" The boy had asked showing confusion, one of the few emotions that Kabuto had seen on his face.

"It's when your tummy hurts and grumbles for food." Kabuto had explained.

"I do not feel that anymore. The doctors got rid of that."

It was then a new question had formed. "When did you last eat?"

"Seven nights, six days."

Even thinking about it, now in the dark, Kabuto's heart ached for the boy. After that answer, Kabuto had told the boy to wait in the car as he went inside and bought seven burgers. When he had handed them to the boy, he was met with another blank stare.

"Eat." Kabuto had said unwrapping the burgers. And the boy did. He ate until the food was gone and when he started to eat the paper, Kabuto had demanded what he was doing.

"You told me to eat. I must follow orders." the boy said showing confusion again. "Was I not meant to eat? Was it a test?"

"The food, you only eat the food not the paper."

"I see."

The same happened with the water or anything else he brought and gave to the boy. He did as he was told until he was told to stop.

He didn't sleep unless ordered to and he only woke when Kabuto told him to. Even in his sleep he didn't move.

With a sigh he let his body fall back on to his own bed. The next thing he knew the sun was shining upon his face. With a groan, he sat up and looked toward the boy. He was still in the same position that he went to bed in.

Getting up he took a shower and then he woke up the boy.

"It's time to wake."

And just like that, blue eyes popped opened as he sat up. He never even showed signs of exhaustion or being stiff.

"Take a shower, when you're done, we'll go."

"Okay," the boy said as he got up and walked toward the bathroom. Ten minutes later they left the room. Like every other place they stayed, Kabuto watched the boy look around the room finding and removing any signs that they were there.

Hours later as they were passing through a small town, the boy spoke up on his own, catching Kabuto off guard, "Are they training?"

Glancing over to where the boy was looking he spotted the children playing on a playground, "No they're playing."

"Playing?"

"It's what children do for fun."

"Why would they play on bars? We do not play. We train. When we do not train we learn."

"Would you like to play?"

"I do not know how." the boy said turning to meet Kabuto's gaze as the car pulled to a stop beside the gate.

"Do you know what play is?"

"An activity made for enjoyment by any who participate."

"That's not what I'm asking." Kabuto said turning off the car and getting out. Motioning for the boy to do the same he waited for him before he lead him over the grass.

Kabuto was afraid that the Children Soliders would appear or that someone would know that the little boy wasn't a child but a killer in training. His nerves calmed down when he realized that to other children and their parents, the boy was nothing new save for his face. In the clothes, Kabuto bought him four days ago, he looked like a child but he moved like a solider. The new hat he wore, adding to the illusion of an innocent child.

"What are you asking?" the boy asked as they stopped just beside the sand.

Nodding his head toward the playground, Kabuto took a seat on the bench and said, "Try playing."

The boy looked at him for a moment before nodding and making his way to the playground. Kabuto watched him like a hawk.

When the boy stopped just beside the monkey bars he just looked around. His mind seeming to process what the others were doing and after a few minutes he copied them.

He crossed the monkey bars, went down all three slides and climbed the rock wall. He went through the tunnels and played with the tic-tac-toe. And through it all he never smiled. He never changed his serious expression.

"Is he your son?" Someone asked from Kabuto's right causing him to jump. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." the woman said smiling apologetically.

"It's... it's okay, just caught me by surprise." Kabuto forced a smile at the plump woman.

"So is he your son? The little blond one?"

"My son? Oh, um, yes he is." Kabuto nodded quickly, "He's my son, my only son."

"Oh, are you meeting his mother here?"

"His mother? His mother passed away when he was born." Kabuto said making up the story as he went along, "It's just me and ... him."

"I'm sorry." The woman said in sympathy. "It must be hard. I just can't imagine raising a boy on my own."

Why was she speaking to him? She didn't even know him.

"I'm here with my son too." looking around she pointed a plump finger at a chubby little boy, "The one eating the ramen noodles over there is my son. His name is Choji, and that lazy boy laying next to him is his best friend, Shikamaru. I'm babysitting him for the day."

"That's nice," Kabuto nodded forcing a polite smile.

"What's your son's name?" She asked, looking as if she wasn't going to go anywhere. In fact, Kabuto began to see that she was making herself comfortable on the bench he sat on.

"His name?"

The woman laughed as if it was a joke. Her body moving with every noise she made. "Surely he has a name." she smiled once she could control herself.

"Of course he does, what child doesn't have a name?" Kabuto laughed all the while thinking, this boy. "His name is..." Looking around as if looking for his son, his eyes once again landed on the ramen noodles the lady's own son was eating. "Naruto. His name is Naruto."

"You named your son after a noodle?" the woman raised her brow.

"His mother always wanted an original name. When she found out she was pregnant, she was eating ramen noodles." Kabuto forced an embarrassed laugh. "And Naruto it was."

"Oh, woman and their ways." The woman laughed again, "Now I have stories for you..."

And though Kabuto pretended interest in whatever subject she was speaking about, he was about ready to scream when the boy, now named Naruto, came over.

"I have played." Naruto said.

With a sigh of relief, Kabuto asked, "How was it?"

"I do not know," Naruto replied looking back at the now empty playset, "It is not...fun."

"Fun? You don't think playing is fun, Naruto?" the woman asked pinching his cheek.

If only you knew, Kabuto thought sadly.

Before Naruto could voice the confusion in his eyes, Kabuto spoke up quickly. "Well it was nice meeting you, ma'ma, but my son and I need to get going. We are only passing through."

"Oh but it's late, surely you don't mean to travel in the dark."

"Yes we are starting over and-"

"Nonsense, you can stay at my husband's inn for the night, and tomorrow I'll make you both a breakfast you'll love. No arguments, I don't take people telling me no well. Choji! Shikamaru! Let's go!"

Without much choice Kabuto sighed and lead Naruto back to the car.

"Why did she call me Naruto?" he asked as they followed the woman home.

"Because that's your name. If anyone ask, I'm your father and your mother died in childbirth. We are also starting over because of personal reasons."

"Okay." Naruto nodded.

Kabuto sighed as Naruto made no move to argue. Then again, the boy wouldn't think to argue with an order.

"I like my name." Naruto said showing him a small smile before turning to look out the window. "I like it better then my number." he added quietly as he fiddled with his hat. Kabuto had to think of something else to put on the boy's head to cover the number. He couldn't always wear a hat.

"I'm glad." Kabuto replied, feeling guilty that he named the boy after food. "I'm glad."

C~ ^ ~S

"Any news?" Orochimaru asked the white haired sickly looking teen. Of course that was just all for show. None of his soliders were ill or anything less then perfect. They were designed to fit into any place without bringing any suspicion.

"They are heading west but we know no more then that." the solider said with empty eyes. "Four are following them now as we speak."

"Good." Orochimaru nodded drinking from his coffee cup, "Good."


	3. Chapter 3

**3**

**Look toward profile/bio for disclaimer and anything else involving this story.**

Once at the inn, the woman quickly showed them to a room that they could claim for the night. Pinching Naruto's cheek, she walked off, telling them breakfast was served at seven and they were to be at the table by then.

Once gone, Naruto reached a hand up and touched his cheek. "Is that her version of torture?"

"Torture?" Kabuto frowned as he looked around the room. "Why would she torture you?"

"I do not know." Naruto admitted and said no more.

"Let's get ready for bed." Kabuto said finally, not wanting to think about what the children were forced to go through to become perfect.

C~ ^ ~S

The next morning Kabuto woke to find Naruto already awake and watching him. "You do not follow rules." the little blonde said.

"What rules?" Kabuto yawned.

"Of meal times. They must always be followed. To not follow means you will be punished." Naruto explained.

Kabuto blinked and rubbed at his eyes. Looking through one eye he saw Naruto frown but otherwise do nothing. On his forehead his number stood out in thick black ink, his short blonde hair just barely touching it.

"What time is it?"

"It is seven oh three." Naruto answered automatically, no longer using army time. Kabuto had asked him not to in fear of being found out.

"Let's go down for breakfast then."

Nodding, Naruto turned and headed toward the door.

"Wait! Your hat." Kabuto reminded him, running after the blonde as he grabbed the hat from the dresser. "Here." fixing it on the little boys head he turned and grabbed the first shirt from his bag and pulled it on along with a pair of jeans. Once he had his shoes, and glasses on, and his hair fixed he nodded toward the door and followed Naruto out of the room.

By the time they arrived in the kitchen it was already seven twenty four.

"Sorry for being so late." Kabuto apologised to the woman from yesterday. What was her name? Did he even get her name? "I over slept."

"It's understandable." A man said from the table, a pile of food in front of him, more then half already gone, and next to him was Choji. "Come sit and join us."

Leading Naruto toward the table he took a seat. "Thank you." he smiled piling food on both his and the Naruto's plate. "Eat your food, Naruto."

Nodding, Naruto picked up his fork and began to eat everything in a certain order. He cut everything on his plate into the same size and chewed everything a certain amount of times before he swallowed.

"He's a little odd one, isn't he?" The woman asked with a odd expression on her face. "Never have I seen a boy with such manners. He's a darling!" she giggled as she dug into her own food again.

"He is," Kabuto nodded and spoke to the woman's husband. Beside him Naruto stayed silent.

"Why's he wearing a hat?" Choji asked. "I wanna wear a hat!"

Kabuto froze at those words.

"You know the rules son." his father said, rubbing a giant hand through Choji's hair.

"He's wearing one!"

"Yes I know." his mother answered and sent a look toward Kabuto. "At our home we do not wear hats or anything on our heads during any meal."

"He has to wear one." Kabuto said quickly.

"Why?"

"Because... he has," What reason should he give?

"Oh!" The woman exclaimed loudly making everyone but Naruto jump. "Does he have, you know, cancer?" she whispered loudly, a hand over her heart dramtically.

"Yes!" Kabuto jumped right on board with that. "It's one of the reasons we're moving." he'd have to remember all of this if he wanted his story to stick.

"Poor dear!" the woman said mournfully. "So young!"

"Yes." Kabuto nodded and turned to see Naruto almost done with his breakfast. "We want to get away from the world. It became too much for us back home with so many wishing to express their regards," more like kill them, "we just couldn't stay there and be reminded daily of his illness." and still be alive.

"Is there nothing the doctors can do?" the man asked, looking at Naruto with pity as Choji kept asking everyone what cancer was.

"I am a doctor." Kabuto explained. "I'm his doctor as well as his father. If there was anyone that I trust to take care of my son and get him the best treatment, I believe it is me."

"What's cancer!" Choji shouted over his mother's voice.

"Cancer." Naruto answered once he was done with his meal, "Cancer is a diseases that grows within ones body, killing you from the inside out. It attacks your organs and-"

"That's enough." Kabuto interrupted quickly as he noticed the pale look upon Choji's face.

"Forgive me." Naruto bowed his head.

"Of course." the woman said as she tried to comfort a crying Choji, taking him out of the room, telling him he did not have cancer and was in no way being killed from the inside out.

"If you will excuse us, I wish to get back on the road-"

"Nonsense." the man interrupted as the woman left with Choji in her arms. "Stay a while. You are a doctor in need of a home? Well, we are a town in need of a doctor. Why not stay here?"

"Well-"  
"I'm Choza Akimichi, I run this inn/restraunt in our small town. Now before you say no, let me tell you about our little town. It has one gas station. Two deputies and one sheirff. One grocery store four blocks over. We have four other shops as well. We have one school from K-12, not many kids here. We have a park, that is also the place so many activites happen around here. Our library is in our school. What we don't have is a doctor. The last one we had, died of old age and now we have to go six hours out of our way to visit the closest one. What do you say?"

"Well Mr. Akimichi-"

"Call me Choza."

"Choza, it's kind of you to offer but you see-"

"You can stay here, free of rent, until you get on your feet." Choza interrupted again. "I can even help you find a place to rent if you don't want to stay here. Let me just call up my friend Shibi, to see if that little house out on the edge of town is ready for renting."

Before Kabuto could stop him, the man was gone, leaving him and Naruto alone. Turning to the boy he sighed. "What do you say, Naruto? Care to live here?"

"Okay," Naruto said.

"Okay." Kabuto nodded and finished his breakfast.

C~ ^ ~S

Before he knew it, the whole town had heard about him and Naruto. When they had went to see the little house that Choza was taking them too, he gaped at the crowd of people already there. Men doing a quick clean up. Woman running in and out of the house with objects and platters of food. Children running around and young teens looking bored out of their mind as they helped their fathers.

"My wife might have mentioned Naruto's condition to a friend or two." Choza said as Naruto looked out the back window quietly. "We're a small town and we take care of our own."

"Oh wow." Kabuto said pulling his car over in the dirt driveway. This looked more then just a friend or two.

"It takes a little getting used to. Small town like this, everyone is helping everyone. No one locks their doors here and there are no secrets as you can tell." Choza laughed opening his door. Forcing his own chuckle Kabuto looked into his rear view mirror and met Naruto's silent gaze.

"That's Fugaku, he's the sheriff." Choza said pointing to a man wiping down a window. "Beside him is his oldest son, Itachi. Going to be a senior this year. He has another little boy named Sasuke, he's about Naruto age. Over there is Inochi, he runs the grocery store and his wife runs a little flower shop. They have two kids. Deidara is also in school with Itachi and Ino is that little daisy singing over there. That's Shikaku resting by the tree, he and his wife own the car shop just as you enter town, you've met their son Shikamaru. Hm, over there is Tsume, she's our local vet. She would have been our doctor too if she didn't scare all the little kids. She also has a little boy Naruto's age named Kiba." Kabuto nodded as he saw the strong woman mowing the grass off to the side. "Fixing the fence over there is Hiashi and Hizashi, twins that run the last store, it's a cafe/bookstore, one twin has two girls, Hinata and Hanabi, and one has only a son. I always get them confused so I'm not going to say which one is which. Anyway their store is very popular with the teens. That's Shibi, he own's this property, he has a son named Shino, but I don't see him. His house is over that way." Choza pointed towards the distance behind this place. "There's a few other people, but I don't see them here. Most likely they are out of town on a few errands. Come on, I'll introduce you properly. Naruto, boy, why don't you go play with the children?"

When Naruto looked up at him, Kabuto smiled and said, "Go _play_." he said emphasizing the word play. When Naruto nodded, Kabuto knew the little boy understood. Once Naruto turned and walked off toward the children, Kabuto was pulled the other way.

As he talked to the men and nodded at their sympathy, feeling slightly guilty over his little lie, he watched Naruto.

Naruto stood watching the other young children, just as they stood watching him. After a few questions, Naruto nodded and then watched as the children ran off. A few seconds later he seemed to understand what they wanted and gave chase.

One day, Kabuto promised, one day Naruto would play and he would laugh and grin like the other children.

C~ ^ ~S

Four soliders stood side by side as the fifth gave the new information. They had lost 012607 and the man known as Kabuto Yakushi. 012607 was good. He was one of the best. Tracking him was hard. Any clue they found, no matter how small, was useful.

"Understood." the fifth one said closing the phone. Turning to them, his eyes cold and empty, he said, "Let's go."

Like one, they all took off in what they hoped was still the right direction.


	4. Chapter 4

**4**

**Look toward profile/bio for disclaimer and anything else involving this story**

They had only been there for four days before Kabuto got a knock at the door. When he answered it, he was surprised to see a little old lady standing there. Before he could ask what she needed, she pushed her way inside and began telling him about an ache in her leg that wouldn't go away.

At first Kabuto was confused on what she wanted, and then when she started to go on about when it started and when it hurt most, he remembered that he was the new doctor of this small town and that this old lady was his first patient.

Meeting Naruto's quiet eyes he told the boy to finish his breakfast and then he lead the old woman to the living room.

He wasn't lying when he said he was a doctor. Kabuto was a very accomplished doctor at such a young age. He graduated at the top of his class a few years ahead of everyone else. The day he graduated, Orochimaru had come and offered him a job. At first Kabuto was excited. Not many people could say they worked for Orochimaru or that they were asked by the man himself to start the next day in his company. Orochimaru was an icon around the world. He had his own hospitals that specialized in cases that would otherwise be unsaveable. He was a well known scientist that found cures for everything.

After working three years for the man as the head doctor of one of his hospitals, Orochimaru had come to him and asked if he wanted to work at his special hosptial. Kabuto was curious. The way Orochimaru had said it, he made it sound as if it were the most wonderful place to be. That once you got into this hospital that there was no higher place to go.

Kabuto had jumped at the chance to move up the ladder and a few days later he was sent to the camp. At first he started off treating the kids that he assumed were all sick. None of them spoke or did anything like normal children so he just wrote it off as the same illness eating at all of them. For a year, he would check them all.

But after a year he began to see the grey in the black and white painting. He started to put one and one together and when he finally figured out that the children he was treating weren't ill but in fact well trained, he had went to Orochimaru and told him of what was happening. He, like a fool, had assumed that Orochimaru didn't know what was going on and would want to see for himself.

Orochimaru had come and taken a look but to Kabuto's shock he said it was wonderful. That's when Kabuto learned of the children soliders.

Orochimaru said he was already involved and so couldn't leave. Kabuto had demanded why, and Orochimaru had said that he was already part of this. That every child that he found something wrong with was put down and replaced by another. Orochimaru had then forced him to keep working.

So Kabuto had worked on the children, going over them, making sure that they were okay. He tried not to write anything that would get the child killed. It had shocked him so much that all the children that he had marked as ill or not able to do this or that, were killed seconds after he gave his report.

When Orochimaru caught on to what he was doing, Kabuto was sent to the chamber where he was forced to watch the children killed and then burned. As he cried and begged for them to stop, Orochimaru had told him that that was his new job. Kabuto had refused and was beaten because of it.

The first child that was actually killed by his hands, Kabuto had barfed and cried for days afterwards. He had tried to run, but it was impossible to get away. Then somehow he had closed himself off from the world and did his job. He pushed the fact that they were children dying at his hands away and thought of them more as animals. Animals were killed off when they were of no use or sick.

"So what's wrong with my leg?" the old woman asked him as he ran his hand around her leg.

"From what I can see..." and Kabuto pushed his past away and focused on the woman in front of him. When she left with orders to rest, he turned to find Naruto by the door.

"So what do you want to do today?" He asked the little boy.

"Another one is here." Naruto answered in simple tones.

"Another one?"

Nodding Naruto turned his head and another person came into his living room.

"Naruto can you get me my bag?" Kabuto asked. Soon the day was filled with people visiting his house as they came to see the doctor. Naruto helped him by having every one sit in the kitchen, at Kabuto's orders, and getting down their names and the reason they were here.

Lunch came and went, but Kabuto was too busy to eat anything. Who knew a small town could have this many people?

"Mr. Yakushi?"

Turning at the sound of his name, he saw Fugaku in uniform standing beside Naruto.

"He said he was not sick." Naruto explained and went to answer the knock at the door, his notebook in hand.

"How many people do you have in this house?" Fugaku asked as he watched Naruto lead another person to the kitchen after getting everything down.

"Last I knew, Naruto told me seven in the kitchen and nine in the hall. And you can call me Kabuto." Kabuto answered, reminding the older man as he had done when they met. Turning to the person sitting on his couch he said, "It's not broken. You just sprained your wrist. This wrap should help and try not to use it."

"But I have to work." the man protested.  
"I'll write you a note that you need to lay off the heavy duty stuff and do lighter work." Kabuto said as he turned to the side and wrote the note before handing it to the man."

"Thanks doc." The man grinned as he pulled out his wallet and gave Kabuto a twenty. "Bye sheriff."

"Good-bye." Fugaku said.

When the man left, Kabuto told Naruto to hold off on the next patient.

"Only twenty?" Fugaku asked. "Doctors tend to charge more then that."

"Twenty is good enough for me." Kabuto shrugged as he moved to a shelf and opened the box, placing the money with the other bills. "Besides I charge them based on the injury. Naruto's taking notes and deciding how serious it is. So they are either paying fifteen to twenty bucks."

"Isn't Naruto a little young to be doing this? I mean he's only eight." Fugaku frowned. "Not to mention he's ill."

Crap, Kabuto forgot about that little lie. Naruto was supposed to have cancer. "Naruto doesn't like to remember he has cancer." Kabuto said quickly. "He likes to pretend it doesn't exist," Because it doesn't, "and keep his mind off of it. He said this helps him a lot and he's a pretty smart boy for his age."

"How long have you been at this today?" Fugaku asked.

"Since seven I think."

"Have you had lunch?"  
"Not me, but I made sure Naruto did." Kabuto said. At the sound of another knock he sighed. "When will the clinic be open?"

"As soon as everything is up to date." Fugaku grinned. "We may have taken care of everything and our last doctor may have been wonderful, but he has a lot of old tools that no one uses anymore. I'll say about another week or two before the inspector can take a look and pronounce it good to go."

"Lovely." Kabuto sighed. "Okay I better get back before I get more people. For a small town there are alot of them."

"Some of them are from neighboring towns." Fugaku laughed at Kabuto's expression. "Eat before you pass out and you might want to think about a schedual."

"I'll keep that in mind." Kabuto chuckled. "Okay Naruto, let the next one come in."

Fugaku patted Naruto's hat and told the boy not to overdo it. Naruto nodded and let him out.

C~ ^ ~S

By the next day Kabuto had a system in order. He had appointments now. Yesterday was a disaster. He and Naruto didn't go to sleep until eleven and today he had a sign out front with his new phone number and from what time to what time he was open. Quite a few people had called before ten and they were all spreadout to the end of the week. Naruto had been the one to make the schedual. He had helped turn one of the back rooms into a small clinic and had turned the living room into a waiting room. Part of the kitchen was now the filing room and the office of sorts that Naruto took care of.

Naruto was the one to set up his laptop, putting in all the information and make it easier for Kabuto to find instead of looking for slips of papers or using notebooks.

He now also had a filing cabinet with individual patients information within. Naruto was the one that kept things running smoothly. Running a clinic was impossible for one man. Naruto made his job easier.

For the most part, they had at least four to six strangers in their house at one time.

Right now they were taking their first break and eating at the local park. Naruto was sitting quietly beside him munching on a bag of chips. He had told Kabuto they tasted salty and weird. Kabuto said that they were what kids ate that parents tried not to feed their kids. Naruto had asked why he was eating them then, and Kabuto had grinned and said he was turning Naruto into a kid.

"Hi Naruto." Turning at the sound of his name, they saw Sasuke walking with Itachi and another teenager. "Hello Mr. Yakushi."

"Hello Sasuke, Itachi and... Itachi's friend."

"Deidara, I'm Inochi's son." the blonde grinned.

"Nice to meet you." Kabuto said, remembering Choza telling him about some of the kids.

"We actually came over to ask you something." Deidara said taking a seat at their table.

"Okay." Kabuto said warily.

"Well," Itachi started, "my dad was telling me yesterday that Naruto is like your secretary."

"He is." Kabuto nodded turning to watch Naruto give Sasuke a chip. The raven must have asked for some because Naruto didn't understand the process of offering yet. Kabuto was still working on that one plus a few others.

"Isn't he kind of young?" Deidara asked.

"Yes, but it keeps him occupied." And in my sight.

"My dad also told me why your letting Naruto do it." Itachi went on. "I think I have a better solution."

"What solution?" Kabuto asked beginning to understand what the boys were asking.

"We want to work for you." Deidara said. "We can do the phone stuff and writing down the information and set up appointments and Naruto can be a kid and hang out with Sasuke to... keep his mind occupied."

"You want to work for me?" Kabuto said.

"Yes." Itachi nodded. "We both kind of need a job and there's not many around here unless we want to drive a few hours to work in the city. That's what a lot of teens do but..." he shrugged his shoulders. "You don't have to say yes right away. We'll let you think about it."

"Then you can tell us." Deidara said hopefully.

If Kabuto did this, Naruto would have more free time and learn more or less what it'll be like to be a kid. Sure he'd like to keep his eyes on the blonde, but Naruto wasn't going to change unless he was playing with other kids and learning what it was like to have fun. Kabuto may have been a kid a long time ago, but he was relearning for Naruto and he suspected he was probably failing too. If he was friends with Sasuke, this could help him.

"What do you say, Naruto?" Kabuto asked the young boy. "Do you want to have more free time?"

"Okay," Naruto said uncaring of what Kabuto decided in the end.

"Alright boys," Kabuto turned to the two teens, "You got yourself a job. In fact you can come back with us right now and Naruto can show you what you'll be doing while I get back to patients."

"Seriously?" Deidara grinned. "Nice!"

"We'll meet you at our place." Kabuto gathered his garbage. When they got home the two teens and Sasuke were already there along with another person. Motioning for them all to go inside, Kabuto lead his newest patient to the living room and told him he'll be right back. "Naruto, can I get the one o'clock file?"

The little boy turned and reached for the file in question and handed it over. Turning to the two teens, Kabuto said, "Okay the pay won't be that great right now but I won't cheat you." Now he needed Naruto to figure out what would be fair and a work schedual for both of them... He relied to much on the blonde and that wasn't what he wanted to do.

"That's cool." Itachi nodded in understanding.

"Okay Naruto, why don't you show them what you've been doing and when you're done you can go play outside with Sasuke."

"Okay," Naruto said.

"If you boys have any questions, go ahead and ask." Kabuto smiled at all of them and turned to the living room. As he lead his patient away he heard Naruto's calm voice telling them everything that they had to do.

C~ ^ ~S

"Anything?" Orochimaru demanded of the the man next to him.

"No sir." The man trembled in fear. Unlike the others behind him, he wasn't a solider, he was just a worker under Orochimaru's command. "The five you sent are spreading out. 012607 has disappeared completely."

Slapping his hand against the man's face and sending him to the floor, Orochimaru ignored his cry of pain and turned to the soliders. "You know what to do."

"Yes sir." they nodded and took off quickly.

Orochimaru turned to his window and crossed his arms behind his back. Kabuto would die for making Orochimaru focus on him and as for 012607, well, maybe Orochimaru should rethink his termination. He was after all the best solider ever produced. All he needed was a few adjustments.


	5. Chapter 5

**5**

**Look toward profile/bio for disclaimer and anything else involving this story.**

"You're weird," Sasuke said on his eighth play date with Naruto. Now that his brother was working for the new doctor, Sasuke would see Naruto three times a week. Itachi worked every other day from Monday to Friday seven hours each day with an hour lunch break and two half hour breaks to relax. Deidara worked the same amount of hours from Tuesday to Saturday. On Sunday, the doctor didn't see anyone. Though Itachi thought he would be getting small paychecks every two weeks, Kabuto had surprised him by saying they'd get paid once a week and the checks weren't small either. Sasuke's dad had told his mom over dinner that he didn't know how Kabuto did it.

But when Itachi went to work, Sasuke was pulled along. Since it was summer, he really had nothing else to do for another two weeks. Besides, he kind of liked Naruto. He didn't annoy him like the other guys did that he played with, and he wasn't a clinging girl that declared her love everyday. Naruto was just a kid who preferred the quiet and didn't mind being alone. He was Sasuke's kind of friend, maybe even his new best friend.

"Okay," Naruto nodded as he sat in the swing next to Sasuke's. Unlike Sasuke, however, he didn't move. He just sat there, his hands resting against the chains and his gaze seeming to take everything in.

"Okay?" Sasuke questioned as he came to a stop. He liked the swing set that the town had put in the doctor's yard. Because it was going to take longer to get the clinic in order, something about faulty wiring that no one notice, the town decided to put a playset for the kids of the patients that came. "You're not going to argue and say you're not?" Why would Naruto always say 'okay' to everything? If he told Kiba that, the dog boy would have been in his face and Sasuke would have continued to taunt his friend. But unlike Kiba, it was like Naruto didn't know what to do or say. Naruto never started the conversations or ended them. He wasn't really even part of them unless Sasuke asked him something.

Naruto was also like a dictionary. You could ask him anything and he would have a quote or other that describes what it was you were speaking about. You could say a word and get a definition.

"It is your opinion and I have no control over it," Naruto said turning his gaze to face him. "nor can I do anything to change it. What you think of my character, is of little importance to me."

"You sound like a robot." Sasuke said after a small silence.

"Okay," Naruto said and turned to face the distance again.

"How come?" Sasuke asked suddenly. "How come you act different?"

"I have cancer," Naruto said as if it were rehearsed.

"My dad told me, does it hurt? To have cancer, I mean."

"Everything hurts but pain must be ignored to overcome the obstacles that appear in our way. One must move on even when death is seconds behind you."

To Sasuke it sounded as if Naruto was repeating something that was drilled into his head. Of all things, Sasuke wasn't expecting that. Naruto sounded too old. Sometimes the things Naruto said scared him.

"Do you want to play tag?"

"Tag; the game where one gives chase to capture the other, thereby, turning over their position and becoming prey."

"Uh, yeah." Sasuke nodded unsure of what Naruto was saying. He was pretty smart for his age, but even he wasn't sure what Naruto said half the time.

"Okay."  
"You be it. Count to ten." Sasuke said and took off running. He had barely even made it out of the playground before he felt Naruto's hands on him. With a grunt he fell to the floor and skinned his knee. "Ouch." he whispered in pain as he rolled over and rolled up his shorts on his right leg. Blood slowly oozed down as dirt mixed with his cuts. He didn't want to cry in front of his new friend, but it was taking all that he had to not cry.

"Shall I run now?" Naruto asked, his shadow blocking the sun from touching Sasuke. When Sasuke didn't answer him, Naruto knelt in front of him and looked at his knee. "It should be washed or you will risk infection. Comrads should not be left behind if they can be saved. Risking even one when it is not necessary is foolish. It will mean another will have to be trained and take your place." With that Naruto turned around and ordered Sasuke to climb onto his back.

Doing as told, Sasuke was surprised at how easily Naruto carried him back toward the house. Without dropping Sasuke, he opened the door and walked in. Itachi was typing away at the computer but at the sound of the door opening he looked up and frowned.

"Sasuke what happened?" he asked moving quickly to their side to take Sasuke and put him on the kitchen table.

"I fell." Sasuke said quickly.  
"We were playing tag," Naruto said as he went about gathering a few things, "I was 'it' and used more force than necessary when switching positions with Sasuke. Fault is entirely mine and I take full blame. Punishment if needed shall be held over my head."

"Oh, uh..." Itachi said blinking at Naruto. Even his brother didn't seem to know what to do with Naruto, Sasuke thought. In silence, Naruto cleaned up Sasuke's knee in record time and placed a bandage on it.

"Thank you." Sasuke whispered as Itachi helped him down.

"It was my fault you were hurt, had it been another situation, you-"

"Is everything alright?" Kabuto asked suddenly walking into the room. "Naruto?"

"I injured Sasuke." Naruto said. Kabuto had heard that part and a bit more. Maybe Naruto playing with the other children without anyone watching him was a bad idea. Should he hire a babysitter? Could he fit that in? Naruto was a genius and if not for him, Kabuto would have never figured out how to pay Itachi and Deidara weekly with a good check. Naruto had worked some kind of system or other that made it possible. He, well Kabuto wasn't sure how he did it to be honest. But whatever it was he did, Kabuto knew they wouldn't worry about money. Now if only he could get the clinic he was promised weeks ago. Already it was two weeks overdue. Maybe he should send Naruto in to fix the wiring and the whole list of problems the town was shocked to have found.

"I see." Kabuto said when the silence drug on a bit. "May I speak to you in private, Naruto?"

"It was an accident." Sasuke said quickly. "He shouldn't get in trouble and he cleaned it for me, see?" He said lifting his shorts high enough to show the bandage.  
"I am not mad at him, Sasuke." Kabuto smiled gently at the little raven. "I just need to speak about a private matter. It's the reason I came looking for him now that I have a break for the first time in hours."

"Oh." Sasuke nodded as Kabuto sent Naruto to his office in the back.  
"Why don't you keep your brother company as he works?"  
"Okay." Sasuke nodded and followed his brother back to the makeshift desk he was at moments ago. When Kabuto walked away, Sasuke turned to his brother and said, "I think Naruto's a robot."

"What?" Itachi lifted his brow in question and stopped working, his eyes wide in disbelief.

"He's..." how could he explain this to his brother. There was a lot of things that Naruto did that he'd never seen before. Like when they were chasing the rabbit in the field next door and Naruto had simply watched it for a second before getting it. Sasuke swore up and down to his friends that Naruto had been counting and planning the capture. No one had ever caught the rabbit, but Naruto did. Or the way Naruto climbed trees or swam in the lake close by. He looked like solider or something that Sasuke had seen on a movie. Or there was the fact that Naruto never laughed or smiled or did anything without someone doing it first. Like he was watching them and filing away the way they did anything. "Itachi..." He said meeting Itachi's amused gaze.

"Sasuke, I think you are over reacting. Naruto is just a normal child who's sick. Maybe he may seem like a robot at times but I'm sure you would too if you were dying."

"But he doesn't act like he is!" Sasuke said. "Shikamaru used the library computer and checked what cancer was and what it did. Naruto doesn't show the..." What did Shikamaru call it? "right reactions to it. And he seems to be filing away whatever we do so he can copy it."

"Sasuke-"

"I'm not lying. He's my new best friend, but... Itachi he sometimes scares me. It's like he is always watching for something. Like he has to try hard to be a kid-"

"Enough, Sasuke." Itachi ordered. "If you don't stop this now, I will speak to mom."

"But-"  
"Enough. Now sit there quietly and let me do my work or else I might get fired and I really like this job."

"How do you explain Naruto teaching you how to do your job or when his dad ask him questions that no kid should know?"

"I... I don't know, but enough." Itachi finally answered and continued working.

C~ ^ ~S

"Naruto," Kabuto sighed and pointed toward the chair. "What are you doing?"

"I am speaking to you." the blonde answered tonelessly.

"I meant with Sasuke. I was watching you through the window. You can't do that. You can't be a solider or they'll figure it out and we'll have to leave. I need you to be a kid. We can't let Orochimaru know where we're at. You said so yourself that he will send others to kill us." Kabuto said rubbing a hand over his eyes. He had seen the way Naruto had moved quickly and preditary toward the other boy. If anyone else saw that, they'd begin to question things.

"Our trail is covered-" Naruto answered in the same tone.

"Can you be a kid? Forget you were a solider? I mean, you're talking more and getting better at manners, but you still stand out."

"It is drilled into me to be what I am. To toss it away, will be difficult." Naruto said when Kabuto didn't go on. "I have failed your orders and for that I will punish myself-"

"NO! Damn it, Naruto!" Kabuto growled. "Can't you see? I don't want you like this! I want you to be a kid and do kid things. Not worry about death or looking for killers. If we fit in here we will never have to run again. Orochimaru will never find us."

"You are wrong." Naruto said. "Our trail may be covered now, but in time he will find us. I can try to fit in but to do so will mean I will weaken myself for when they come for us."

"How long before we have to run again?" Kabuto asked quietly.

"A few years. From my calculations, two at best if they do not send the all the numbers to find us. It helped that you kept your name. I have hacked the systems and created hundreds upon hundreds of others that will take them that long to find you. They will also not expect you to keep it and will be searching for others identities that simply appeared."

"Okay." Kabuto nodded. Sighing again, he paced the room and finally turned to meet Naruto's startling blue eyes, "You are hereby ordered to never hurt a child or person of this town. You will not attack or hunt others that are not part of the system. You will no longer make a definition for any word spoken. You will try harder to be a child unless asked otherwise. Am I understood 012607?" Kabuto knew it was wrong to do it this way, but he had tried so many others and Naruto still wasn't getting it. Maybe if he made it a command, Naruto would finally understand.

"Yes sir." Naruto answered without any expression on his face. He looked even more like a puppet then before. He was like a machine now.

"You are excused." With a bow, Naruto turned and left the room. Kabuto felt as if he had betrayed the boy in the worst way possible. Sitting down on the chair Naruto had just left, he sighed. Maybe Naruto couldn't be a kid. Once a solider never anything else. Maybe he should have stuck the needle in him... No, Naruto would change. He'd be better. He had only been with Kabuto for a few months. He'd learn. He had to.

C~ ^ ~S

"He is not our target." the teen male said blankly as his comrad held the struggling man up in the air. "This is another false trail. Kill him." Turning away, the boy walked off, the gurgling noise behind him as the man struggled to breathe never phasing him. The commander would not be happy with this. Already they had taken and followed thirteen trails and each one was another dead end. 012607 was good, but even the best got sloppy.


	6. Chapter 6

**6**

**Look toward profile/bio for disclaimer and anything else involving this story.**

"Hey Naruto!" Sasuke yelled as he spotted the blonde swinging in the swing set, his hat already on his head. It kind of surprised him to see Naruto using the swing at all without anyone telling him to. When Itachi had pulled up in their mom's car, Sasuke had been stumped and asked Itachi if Naruto was okay.

Itachi had nodded and said he was probably feeling better, before he took off up the steps and walked inside the clinic.

"How come you're swinging?" he asked when he got closer.

"Because it's fun." Naruto smiled, freaking Sasuke out a little more because this Naruto wasn't the Naruto he was used to. This Naruto was weird. "Swing with me."

"Okay," he nodded as he jumped onto the other one.

"I bet I can swing higher then you." Naruto taunted as he pumped his legs.

"No you can't!" Sasuke shouted back, completely forgetting about the way Naruto was acting now as he focused on the challenge given. After a few good pumps of his legs, he was almost as high as Naruto. "I'm the best swinger here!" he declared.  
"Nu-uh!" Naruto shouted as he kicked harder. "I'll be better!"

For a while both continued to swing until Sasuke realized his legs were getting tired and he wanted to stop. Not wanting to look like he was losing speed, he jumped from his swing, stumbling a little, before turning to Naruto. "I bet I jumped farther then you ever will." he grinned.

With a grin on his own face, Naruto let go of the chains as the swing went forward. In seconds he was in the air and just as quickly he was on the ground, landing evenly with Sasuke. "It's a tie." Naruto declared with a pout. As their eyes met, Sasuke stilled. Naruto's eyes looked funny. They were the same color but they weren't the same. They looked kind of scary. Even if the blonde was smiling, Naruto's eyes weren't.

Shaking his head, Sasuke blinked a few times and looked away. "Then to break it we have to..." looking around he said, "run to that post over there. The first one there is the winner. Ready. Set. Go!" he shouted and took off with Naruto right beside him. Not wanting to lose, Sasuke concentrated on his steps, trying to out run Naruto was hard. The blonde stayed even with him. When they were halfway there, Sasuke leaped, "I win!" he shouted as Naruto stopped behind him. "That means I'm the better swinger."

"I would have won, you cheated!" Naruto shouted, pointing a finger at him.  
"Nu-uh, there were no rules about jumping." Sasuke smirked. "I'm the winner- hey what's that!"

Naruto turned to follow Sasuke's finger. In the distance he made out some kind of dog running right at them from across the field on the otherside of the road. "A dog, are you stupid?" he asked the raven. "Even I know what it is."

"I know what a dog is!" Sasuke defended himself as he grabbed Naruto's arm and began slowly pulling the blonde with him back to the clinic. Trying not to show fear, he said, "Let's go get some water, I'm thirsty."

"You're a chicken," Naruto grinned, "You're scared of the dog!"

"I am not! I'm thirsty is all." Sasuke said, his eyes widening as the dog got closer. "Come on Naruto."

"I want to pet the dog," Naruto answered as he pulled away from Sasuke, "Come here dog."

"Naruto!" Sasuke shouted, wanting to run but not wanting to leave Naruto. Why did Naruto have to be different today? Why couldn't he be the same Naruto that reminded him of a robot? The one that did what he was told to do? "Naruto please!"

"No, I want to pet the dog!" Naruto said shaking Sasuke off again. "Why don't you go inside and let me play?"

"It's not a nice dog!" Sasuke shouted as he pointed to the dog crossing the fence and then the road, it's face foaming from the mouth. "Look it's a mean one!"

"You're only saying that because it's big!" Naruto glared. "You're a girl baby."

"I'm not a girl baby!" Sasuke shouted as he backed up a few steps. "Itachi!" he screamed as the dog growled and jumped at them. Using his body, he tackled Naruto to the floor, the dog sailing over them. "Itachi help!" he screamed as he pulled Naruto up and took off running to the house, the dog coming behind him. "Itachi!"

"Run Sasuke!" Naruto yelled, fear now showing on his face and his voice. "He's gonna get us!"

"ITACHI!" Sasuke screamed as he and Naruto tried to outrun the big dog. Looking over his shoulder, Sasuke tripped, bringing Naruto down with him, the dog once again flying over them.

"Sasuke!" he heard his brother shout, running out of the clinic with the doctor behind him. "Shit! Here dog!" Itachi whistled, trying to get the dog to notice him. Instead of running at him, the dog continued to move toward Sasuke and Naruto.

Kabuto ran out of the house at the first scream from Sasuke and the clattering of Itachi's chair. Finding both Sasuke and Naruto running from a rabid dog, he blinked in shock. Why wasn't Naruto doing anything? This was nothing compared to what the blonde was used to. Why wasn- "012607!" he shouted, jumping over the steps and running to the blonde and the raven, ignoring Itachi trying to find something as he continued to try and gain the dogs attention. At the sound of his number, Naruto stilled. His body ready for the next command. "Protect the child!" Kabuto finished.

In a flash, Naruto was up, his fear long gone as he stood between Sasuke and the dog. Without a word, Naruto lunged at the german shepard, catching it in the throat with his foot, sending it flying back. Following the dog back, Naruto punched the dog in the head, creating a loud crack within the silence of the day. In less then five seconds, the dog layed dead at Naruto's feet, the hole in it's head, bleeding into the grass. Kabuto, Itachi, and Sasuke watched in shock as Naruto picked up the dog from the scruff of it's neck and pulled it to a fire pit. Tossing it in with ease, he grabbed two stones and slammed them together, creating a fire that quickly spread over the dog. As it burned behind him, Naruto turned to face Kabuto, waiting for his next command.

"What did you call him?" Sasuke asked Kabuto as he slowly stood up, his face pale and full of fear. "Why did you call him that?"

"How did he do that?" Itachi asked as he moved to Sasuke's side and picked him up. "That dog could have killed him and Naruto took him out like nothing."  
"Naruto come here," Kabuto ordered but to his shock Naruto didn't move. The boy waited silently by the fire, still watching him. "Naruto?" Oh god, what did he do?

"Naruto?" Sasuke called out to his friend. "Naruto, what's wrong? Did the dog bite you?"

"Why is he so still?" Itachi asked, taking a step away from the small blonde. Naruto had no emotions on his face. His body was alert and waiting for something.

"012607?" Sasuke said. At that Naruto turned his body, moving like a solider, and faced Sasuke. "Itachi..." Sasuke whimpered in shock as Naruto continued to gaze at them. "Itachi why did he do that?"

"What's going on?" Itachi asked Kabuto who had yet to look away from Naruto.

"012607," Kabuto whispered, watching Naruto turn back to him, "Inside." he ordered. Like a small solider, Naruto marched inside. "Will you two come in as well?" Kabuto asked them. "I promise nothing's going to happen to you." Without waiting for them to reply, Kabuto walked into his home, leaving the door open for them to follow.  
"Itachi?" Sasuke asked his brother.

"Let's find out." Itachi answered. With a brave face for Sasuke, he walked back into the clinic and shut the door behind him. "Doc-"

"Call me Kabuto," Kabuto answered from the empty waiting room. Because it was early, there weren't any people in the house and wouldn't be any for another hour. "Sit down please."

Moving to an empty chair across from Kabuto, Itachi sat down with Sasuke in his laps. Turning to look at the boy standing at attention beside Kabuto, he waited for whatever the man would say.

"What I tell you can't leave this room. If it does Naruto, me, and everyone in this town will be in danger." Kabuto said and waited for Itachi to nod, "Naruto doesn't have cancer. It's just something that came out of no where. I never planned to stay but Mrs. Akimichi kind of made it impossible for us to leave. Naruto... Naruto is a solider created by the government. He's one of thousands that are alive. He was born an orphan, like all the others. But unlike the others, Naruto somehow began to think and act like a child. He was sentenced to death by the head man. I was supposed to kill him."

"What!" Itachi shouted in shock as a look of horror overcame his face. "Why!"

"Because the defective children all die. They are deleted for not meeting the doctor's standards." Kabuto flinched as he remembered all of the children he was forced to end. At least one every two weeks or so. More if they were too injured to fix. "When I went to end his life, I couldn't do it. He spoke to me and I couldn't end him. Instead, I took him and ran. Now we're on the run from the government and if they find us, they'll kill us." reaching up he removed Naruto's hat, showing them his number. At their gasp, Kabuto said, "This is his number, when they go out on a mission, they are told what to do and their numbers are covered so no one else can control them."

"Why?" Itachi asked, his eyes looking at Naruto with a new light. So many things made sense now. So many things that he had seen and that Sasuke had said made sense. Naruto had seemed like an odd ball to begin with, but this...

"The government believes that they can stop a war by training children to do the deed. No one expects a child to kill them. No one expects a child to be a solider. They are trained in everything from languages to fighting to weapons and everything in between. They are trained to blend in and follow orders. They are trained to be machines. Naruto didn't meet their standards."

"Why here?"

"Like I said, Mrs. Akimichi kind of kept us from leaving. And then Choza said you guys needed a doctor and I thought we could start here." Kabuto shrugged as he looked at Naruto in sadness.

"A doctor, not a killer." Itachi glared as he pulled Sasuke closer. "So what happens if one of the towns people insult you? Are you going to sick Naruto on them? I mean look what he did to that dog. Imagine what he could do to one of us? Who's to say it won't be one of the kids? That Sasuke won't-"

"I would never ordered that!" Kabuto shouted, causing Sasuke to flinch and clutch tighter to Itachi.

"You ordered him to kill the dog."

"The dog would have killed your brother!" Kabuto yelled. "I've only ordered Naruto to do one other thing and that was to be a kid and it backfired on me. I might have broken him beyond repair because of it."

"You speak about him as if he was a machine," Itachi said with a glare forming.

"He is a machine! I made him like this. I didn't want to. I wanted him to be a kid but he wouldn't. He couldn't fit in. I was afraid he'd give us away. And now... We need to leave." Kabuto stood and headed out of the room. "We can't stay here anymore. They'll come."

"You can't take Naruto!" Sasuke shouted, "He's my friend!"

"Sasuke if they find us-"

"What if we promise not to tell?" Sasuke asked, jumping off of Itachi's lap and moving to Naruto's side. "What if we keep it a secret? I can help fix Naruto too! He's my friend I know him best!" Sasuke went on, reaching up to touch Naruto's numbers on his head, stunned that he had never even notice them before.

"Sasuke, I can't risk the town-"

"You said, before you told us anything, that everything said in here can't leave this room." Itachi said, "Look, even if I don't know what to think, I can't let them kill him. Say you run, what if they come here anyway? What's to stop them from killing us? Let us help Naruto be Naruto and not 012 whatever it is. I'll bring Sasuke over with me like always and on the days I don't come, I'll pick up Naruto. What's a better way to be a kid then hanging out with kids?"

"Itachi-"

"Just trust us."

"Please?" Sasuke asked hopefully, taking Naruto's hat and putting it back on his head.

C~ ^ ~S

Orochimaru was starting to get angry. All of his soliders had yet to bring him what he desired most. He needed to find the doctor before he did anything stupid. He needed to find 012607. With the right training 012607 would be perfect.

Tapping his fingers on his desk, he frowned. Kabuto, Kabuto, Kabuto. "Foolish idiot."


End file.
